Evaporative refrigerator.



U. J. SQUIRE-S. EVAPORATIVE REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED oc'r.17,1912.

1,085,177, Patented Jan 27, 1914.

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J e 6 0W0 C. J. SQUIRES. EVAPORATIVE REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001117, 1912.

Patented Jan.27, 1914.

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EVAPORATIVE REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.17, 1912.

1,085,1 77, Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE J. SQUIRES, OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO ROB ERT IM. CAUFFMAN, OF THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN.

EVAPORATIVE REFRIGERATOR.

T 0 all whom it may concern ;'Be it known that I, CLAUDE J. SQUIRES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Three Rivers, in the county of St.Joseph and State of Michi an, have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Evaporative Refri' erators, of which the followin is a speci cation.

y invention relates to cooling boxes or refrigerators, particularly to that type utilizing the evaporation of Water or other fluid as the cooling medium.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a cooling box or refrigerator in which the evaporation of the water is quickly and readily brought about.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a cooling box or refrigerator in which the water to be evaporated is exposed in; numerous minute particles or globules to the E g receptacle A to the horizontal pipe C. A

A still further object of my invention is to provide a cooling box or refrigerator in 1 wh1ch the water or other fluid. is permitted action of air currents in the box.

to fall in drops whereby the evaporation of the water is considerably accelerated and the v hand wheel b on the valve stem 6' which exair quickly and thoroughly cooled.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a cooling box or re rigerator of this 5 type, that is simple in construction, efiicient in operation, and whose cost of manufacture,

is comparatively low.

Wit these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, proportions, size and minor details without departing from the scope or sacrificing any of the objects of the invention.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved cooling box with the door 0 ened and the lid raised; Fig. 2 is a detai ed view of the means employed in my cooling box for permitting the water to fall in drops; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section, on the line 3+3 of Fig. 6, through the inner and outer casings of my improved coolingboxor refrigerator; Fig. 4 is a ver tical transverse section, on, the line 4-'l of Fig. 6, through the outer casing showing the inner casing and Water receptacles in elevation; Fig.5 is an enlarged transverse Specification of Letters ratent.

upper portion of the outer casing A Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

Application filed October 17, 1912. Serial No. 726,364.

vertical section through both the inner and outer casing of my improved cooling box showing the structure of the door L; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section, on the line 66 of Fig. 5, through both the inner and outer casings of my improved cooling box.

Upon referring to the drawings, A designates the outer casingaof my improved cooling box or refrigerator which is provided at its top with the hinged lid a and at its front side with the door L. Within the near the top thereof, is a water receptacle: A, having a pet-cock B for regulating the flow of water therefrom into a horizontal p pe C, having the elbow connection C. The elbow connection C is spaced from the lowerend of the pet-cock B to provide a Sight feed for the water passing from the sight opening D is provided in the outer casing A and covered by a pane of glass so that the feed of the water from the petcock can be easily inspected and the flow of water readily regulated by means of the tends through the outer casing A.

The horizontal pipe C passes through a to decrease the temperature of the water as it slowly flows through the pipe 0.. The

particular composition that I contemplate using consists of two parts ammonia, one part vinegar and one part salt, but any well known composition for reducing the temperature may be employed. This receptacle E .1s shown suspended or otherwise supported, preferably from the water receptacle A by means of the U-shaped straps e and this receptacle is preferably cone-shaped and disposed horizontally with the pipe C passing substantially through thelongitudinal center thereof with the discharge end 0 of the pipe C extending .a little beyond the apex of the cone-shaped receptacle E. This cone-shaped receptacle might be of any de sired shape, but I prefer the shape illustratedinthe drawin s. a

Beneath the cone-s 'aped receptacle E and the discharge end a of the pipe 0 is a shal low .water receiving pan or tray F from the sides of which are hungsheets of cloth or fabric G. The upper ends of the sheets Gr are disposed within the shallow tray F with their lower ends extending over the sides of the tray and hanging below the same.

The pan or tray F is supported by an inner casing H which is open at its front side and also at its top and bottom. The pan or tray F, however, rests upon the upper end of the casing H and forms substantially a closure for the upper end of this inner casing H. The sides or ends of the pan or tray F extends slightly beyond the edges of the upper end of the inner casing H for the purpose hereinafter set forth. The three walls H of the inner casing H are spaced from the walls of the outercasing A and these walls H are provided at their lower ends with trough it, h and k which may be formed by bending the lower ends of the walls H outwardly, although separate troughs may be formed and at tached to the lower ends of the walls H. The troughs k, h and k are slanted or inclined toward the open side of the inner casing H or the front of the refrigerator or cooling box,.th'e open side of the inner casing H being closed by the wall M, carried by the door L, the construction of which will be described hereinafter. It will be seen that by virtue of the inclination given to thetroughs h, h and if an inclined passage or conduit extends around the lower end of the inner casing H. At the discharge end of the conduit, which discharge endis preferably located near the hinged side of the door L, is a small trough P formed on the inner side of the casing H into which the water from the trough b is discharged through the perforation or opening P in the Wall of the casing H. This trough P is provided with a discharge nozzle k which is located-above a funnel shaped pipe k provided with a valve S, the funnel-shaped pipe k communicating with a water receiving tank R at the bottom of the outer casing A, and below the inner casing H.

Secured to the three walls of the inner casing H are drip racks G composed of horizontal "parallel rods 9 spaced apart, which rods are preferably round in cross-section and held together by the end rods or bars 9.

Each drip rack is disposed beneath the lower ends of the sheets of cloth G and in vertical alinement therewith, the upper rods g of each rack being spaced from the lower ends of the cloth G. These drip racks are held spaced from the walls of the inner casing H and the outer casing A, suitable brackets or other attaching means being employed to support the rods from the walls of the inner casing.

It is obvious that the drip racks G may be supported from the walls of the outer casing A or in any other suitable manner, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

On the interior surfaces of the walls H' of the inner casing H are provided a plurality' of hollow or L-shaped cleats I preferably formed of sheet metal and so attached to the walls H as to be open along their lower edges. These cleats I are dis posed over rows of perforations J in the sides H of the inner casing H, which perforations J provide communication for the air between the inner casing H and the space between the same and the outer casing A, the inner casing H being entirely open, however, on the under side as shown in the drawings. The purpose of the L-shaped cleats I is to provide deflectors or curtains as it were in front of these perforations J on the interior of the inner casing "The outer casing A,is provided with openings K on its rear and side walls permitting air to enter in the outer casing and pass out through the openings is at the up er end thereof.

The door L closing t e opening in the front of the outer casing A is provided with a spaced wall M corresponding with the walls of the inner casing H and provided with cleats I just as the walls H in the inner easing H are provided, the urpose of this wall M being to close the front open side of the inner casing H. The cloth G on the side of the tray facing the door opening terminates short oft-he upper edge of the wall M when the door L is closed and between the wall M and the door L is a drip rack composed of rods similar to rods 9 of the drip racks G secured to the walls of the inner casing H, said drip rack carried by the wall M being disposed directly beneath the cloth G on the side of the tray F opposite the open end of the inner casing H, so that water from the cloth will drip upon the rods 9 carried by the wall M and the door L, when the door is closed. The lower end of the wall M is provided with a trough O slanting toward the hinged edge of the door, at which point the small spout 0. extends from the trough in a manner so as to extend over the small trough P when the door is closed and empty the water thereinto, from which trough P the water flows into the tank R, as hereinbefore described. The door L may thus be opened or closed without interference while at the same time constructed on the same plan as any of the remaining sides of the box.

In practice the storage tank or receptacle A. is filled with water by raising the hinged closure a and the flow from the tank or receptacle A is regulated by means of the petcock B, the water passing through the petcock B preferably in drops, say atthe rate of one .drop per second, into the elbow G at one end of the horizontal pipe C. The water then flows through the horizontal pipe C and as it slowly passes through this pipe the temperature of the water is considerably receptacle E. The cooled water is then discharged, preferably in drops, from the discharge end a of the pipe G into the tray F. This tray or pan F being shallow soon overflows and the cloths G become thoroughly saturated with the water and the water falls in drops from the lower ends of the cloth sheets G onto the rods g. The water then falls in drops from rod to rod, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The water from the in the drawings, is from the lower end of the outer casin'gA through the openings K therein into the inner casing H through its open lower end and is deflected by the cleats I out through the perforations J onto the space between the casings H and A and then out through the openings k at the upper end of the casing A. Some of the air also passes up through the openings K along the spaces bet-ween the walls of the inner and outer casings, as shown by the vertical arrows, thereby subjecting the Water dripping from the rods 9 to air currents on all sides.

It will be seen that the inner casing, when the door L is closed, has drip racks on its four sides and as the water trickles or falls drop by drop from rod to rod of the drip racks, the drops falling as it were step by step, the inner casing H is surrounded or enveloped on all four sides by water falling in drops.

As a means for discharging the water from the receiving tank R. into the water receptacle A, I have shown a vertical pipe R connecting these two tanks, an air pump T being attached to the nipple U (see Figs. 1 and 6). Upon pumping air into the receiving receptacle R by means of the air pump and turning the cock S in the funnelshaped pipe If, the air pressure will force the water in the tank R up the vertical pipe into the receptacle A where it can be used over and over again, it being necessary to add water only to the extent of the amount evaporated. c

I wish it to be understood that numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. I also wish it to be-understood that although I have described my invention as particularlycadaptedtd' the use of water, I do not wish to be limited to this fluid alone, as other fluids maybe used without departing from the spirit of my invention, and where I have used the term water it is obvious that I am not limited to this particular fluid.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, an outer casing, an inner casing spaced from the outer casing, a water supply tank at the top of the outer casing having a valved outlet, a water receiving tank at the bottom of the outer casing, a water distributing tray at the top of the inner casing beneath the water supply tank, cloths overhanging the side of the tray, drip raclm spaced from the lower ends of the cloths and in vertical alinement therewith and each composed of bars arranged relatively close together so that drops of water clinging to one bar will expand into engagement with the next lowermost bar and spread over the latter as it drops from the upper bar, conducting troughs beneath the lower ends of the dri racks, and means for discharging water rom the troughs into the water receiving tank. v i

In a device of the character described, an outer casing provided with an aperture near its top, an inner casing spaced from I the outer casing, and terminating at its upper end below said aperture a water supply tank at the top of the outer casing above said aperture, a water receiving tank at the bottom of the outer casing, a water distributing tray at the top of the inner easing beneath the water supply tank, the water supply tank having an outlet, a water conveying means between the supply tank and the said tray and whose receiving endis disposed substantially in horizontal alinement with said aperture of the outer casin and which co-acts with the outlet of said water tank and which is spaced from the latter so that the passage of water from the valved outlet to the receiving end of said water conveying means may be viewed through said aperture, water conducting and evaporating means leading from the tray down the sides of the inner casing, water troughs beneath the water conducting and evaporating means, and means for conveying water from said troughs to said water recehing tank.

3. In a device of the character described, an outer casing provided with an aperture near its top, an inner casing spaced from the outer casin and at its upper end terminating below the aperture of the outer casing, a water distributing tray on the inner casingfa water supply tank arranged within the outer casing above the inner casing and provided with a valved outlet, a water conveying means between the supply tank and the tray and whose receivingend is disposed substantially in horizontal 'alin'ementwith'the' aperture of the outer casing-and which co-acts with: said valved outlet and &

which is spaced from said outletso that the passage of water from the outlet to the receiving end of said water conveying means may be viewed through said aperture, the discharge end ofthe conveying means being spaced from the tray so as to charge the tray with water, and means spaced from the inner casing for permitting water to fall around the casing.

4. In a device of the character described, an outer casing provided with an aperture near its top, an inner casing spaced from the outer casing and at its upper end terminating below the aperture of the outer casing, a Water distributing tray on the inner casing, a water supply tank arranged within the outer casing above the inner casing and provided with a valved outlet, :1 water conveying means betweenthe supply tank and the tray and whose receiving end is disposed substantially in horizontal alinement with the aperture of the outer casing and which co-acts with said valved outlet and which is spaced from the latter so that the passage of Water from the outlet to the receiving end of said water conveying means may be viewed through said aperture, the discharge'end of the conveying means being spaced from the tray so as to charge the tray with water, and means spaced from the inner casing for permitting the water to fall in drops around the casing.

5. In a device of the character described, an outer casing provided with an aperture near its top, an inner casing spaced from the outer casing and at its upper end terminating below the aperture of the outer casing, a water distributing tray .on the inner casing, a water supply tank arranged within the outer casing above the inner casing and provided with a valved outlet, a water conveying means between the supply tank and the tray including a pipe whose receiving end is disposed substantially in horizontal alinement with the aperture of the outer casing and which co-acts with said valved outlet and which is spaced from said outlet so that the passage of water from the valved outlet to the receiving end of said pipe may be viewed through said aperture, the discharge end of the pipe of said con veying means being spaced from the tray and delivering water to the latter.

6. In a device of the character described, an outer casing provided with an aperture near its top, an inner casing spaced from the outer casing and at its upper end terminating below the aperture of the outer casing, a water distributing tray on the inner casing, a water supply-tank arranged withinthe outer casing above the inner casing and provided with a valved outlet, a water conveying means between the supply.

tank and the tray including a pipe whose receiving end is disposed substantially in mean? horizontal alinement with the aperture of the outer casing and which co -acts with said valved outlet and which is spaced from said outlet 50 that the passage of water from the valved outlet-to the receiving end of said pipe may be viewed through said aperture, the discharge end of the pipe of said conveying means being spaced from the tray and delivering water to the latter, and means spaced from the inner casing for permitting water to fall in drops around the casing.

7. In a device of the character described, an outer casing, an inner casing spaced from the outer casing and having its upper end terminating short ofthe upper end of the outer casing, a water supply tank arranged within the outer casing and spaced above the inner casing and provlded with a valved outlet, a water conveying meanssuspended from the water supply tank whose receiving end co-acts withsaid valved outlet and which water conveying means discharges water on top of the inner casing, and means spaced from the inner casing to permit the water to fall around the inner casing.

8. In a device of the character described, an outer casing, an inner casing spaced from the outer casing, means to supply water to the top of the inner casing, and. drip racks adjacent the inner casing and to which water flows from the top of the inner casing, said rack being composed of bars arranged relatively close together so that drops of water clinging to one bar will expand into engagement with the next lowermost bar and spread over the latter as it drops from the upper bar.

9. In a device of the character described, an outer casing, aninner casing spaced from the outer casing, a water distributing tray on top of the inner casing, a water supply tank arranged within the outer casing, means for conveying water from the supply tank to the tray, cloths overhanging the side of the tray, drip racks spaced from the lower ends of the cloths to permit water to fall in drops around the inner casing, the racks being composed of bars arranged relatively close together so that drops of water clinging to one bar will expand into engagement with the next lowermost bar and spread over the latter as it drops from the bar above.

10. In a device of the character described,

' an outer casing, an inner casing spaced from the outer casing, a water distributing tray on top of the inner casing, a water supply tank arranged within the outer casing, means for conveying water from the supply tank to the tray, cloths overhanging the sides of the tray, drip racks spaced from the lower ends of the cloths to permit water to fall in drops around the inner casing, the racks being composed of bars arranged. relatively to the tray, the 0V,

close together so that dro s of water clinging to one bar will expan into engagement with the next lowermost bar and spread over the latter as it drops from the bar above, conducting troughs beneath the lower ends of the drip racks, and a water receiving tank to receive the water from the troughs.

11. In a device of the character described, an outer casing, an inner casing spaced from the outer casing, a water distributing tray on the inner casino means to supply water .ow from the tray passing down the sides of the inner casing, and drip racks spaced from the inner casing to receive the overflow from the tray and composed of bars arranged relatively close together so that the water flowing down the racks will drop from one bar to another and in passage from one bar to another expand into engagement with the next lowermost bar and spread over the latter as it drops from the bar above.

12. In a device of the character described, an outer casing provided with an opening at its front side, an inner casing open at its front side, said open side being in alinement with the opening in the outer casing, the

per end of the inner casing, cloths having their upper ends inthe distributing tray with their other ends overhanging the sides of the tray and spaced from the drip racks mounted in the space between the inner and outer casings, an additional cloth having its upper end in the tray and with its lower end overhanging thesides of the tray and disposed above the drip rack carried by the door when the door is closed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of witnesses.

CLAUDE J. SQUIRES.

\Vitnesses:

B. E. ANDREWS, W. E. BARNARD, E. H. ANDREWS. 

